Turning Waste into Power

Overview

One of the biggest tourist attractions in New Zealand – the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa in Canterbury – is cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions by up to 100,000 cubic metres a year.

A micro turbine which converts waste methane gas into electricity has been installed at the pools, an innovation expected to slash the amount of the gas being released into the atmosphere by an amount equivalent to 1385 tons of carbon dioxide.

And by using the electricity generated by the turbine to power the business sustainably, the pools – which attract more than half a million visitors a year - are reaping significant savings as well. Already electricity costs have reduced by 14.5 per cent, a net saving of $35,000 per year.